Alistair Begg shares advice for college-aged believers

Scottish-born pastor Alistair Begg took the Convocation stage Wednesday, March 4, giving a message focused on Romans 12:1-2.  

Begg delivered three main points centered on offering a living, lasting and logical sacrifice to the Lord.  

Following his message to the student body, Begg shared his heart for young believers.  Reflecting on the start of his ministry which has now spanned more than 50 years, he shared what helped shape his faith early on. In the end, five main takeaways resonated for college-aged Christians who are earnestly trying to align their daily walk with the plans Christ has for them.  

Use your youth to its fullest potential  

As Begg reflected on his ministry that began at the age of 23, he expressed the desire of wishing he had started earlier. However, he revealed contentment in the Lord’s timing as he is now able to lead young people on a similar journey to his. 

“I’m actually encouraged as I move around to find how many young men and young women are actually engaged with a local congregation or in some way meaningfully with a desire to be about kingdom business,” Begg said. “The amount of young people — not just present but engaged — I think is wonderfully encouraging.” 

Begg said he sees many among the younger generation that have hearts for bringing their unsaved peers to Christ. 

“They see their friends as just being lost in the universe, and they want to be able to speak to them in a way that touches them where they are,” Begg said. 

Begg said the mission remains the same regardless of if he is speaking to his multigeneration congregation at Parkside Church or young adults at Convocation. 

“The human heart is the same, whether it is a young heart or an old heart,” Begg said. 

Learn from others and don’t be impatient 

Begg recognized the impact of the strong mentorship he received from those willing to take him under his wing earlier in his ministry. 

“I benefited greatly from the people who were prepared to take me on, who looked after me, who gave me a start,” Begg said. “I learned by following their example, not just listening to what they were saying.” 

In addition, he emphasized the importance of trusting the Lord with your time and not setting harsh deadlines on yourself. Begg said we cannot accomplish the work of Christ through our own will, but rather we must surrender our time to the Lord and watch what he accomplishes through us. 

“The average young guy is in a bit of a rush — he overestimates what he can accomplish in a year, and he underestimates what he can accomplish in five years,” Begg said. “I see that in myself looking back.” 

Begg also gave a warning to not lose sight of the goal at hand. While it can be easy to get swept up in a movement, once Christ is no longer at the center of the mission, it can become us steering the ship rather than him.  

“I want to make sure that we’re operating from the grace and goodness of God that urges people on to faithfulness,” Begg said. “Sometimes I think I was guilty of trying to drive them from behind rather than leading them from the front, so I would try and correct that.” 

Combat the illiteracy crisis among American evangelicals  

Begg expressed concern in an epidemic of biblical illiteracy he has observed in the evangelical church within the U.S.  

“I’ve heard people say the problem is there’s a kind of illiteracy level amongst people, that … they may be enthusiastic, but they don’t really know their Bibles very well,” Begg said.  

Begg said many Christian programs gloss over their devotionals rather than thoroughly walking youth through scripture. While Begg is thankful to see young people passionate for Christ, he said harm can be done when the Bible is forgotten, and the focus relies on feeling. 

“The seminary professors tell me that children coming out of a normal Sunday school 20 years ago had a better grasp of the Bible than the average 22-year-old going into seminary (today),” Begg said. 

Begg said it is imperative for all believers but especially the Christian youth to thoroughly read, study and understand their Bibles.  

Get back to the basics starting with the Bible 

While Begg is renowned for his messages from a reformed standpoint, he emphasized the importance on not getting caught up in the guidelines placed on religion but rather to focus on the grace of God that is Jesus Christ’s death on the cross for our sins. 

“I have never been concerned to try and introduce people to a systematic theology, because people can embrace a systematic theology without actually embracing Jesus,” Begg said. “Or they can embrace it without even being embraced by Jesus.” 

Begg said keeping Jesus at the center of our faith and studying our Bible with discernment will lead us to the life that God calls us to. 

“My approach to it has always been, ‘Well, let’s just work through the Bible, and we’ll trust that the Spirit of God will guide us in the right direction,’” Begg said.  

Begg emphasized the truth that to know Christ is to be saved, and the focus should not be on the means by which one is saved but rather on the grace of God who calls the lost to him. 

“Not only has God, as the Bible says, ordained people to salvation, but he’s ordained the means whereby they come to salvation,” Begg said. “When the Philippine jailer asks Paul, ‘what must I do to be saved?’ Paul doesn’t give him a talk about systematic theology; he said, ‘believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.’” 

Continuously renew your mind  

One final thing young Christians can learn from Begg is the importance of feeding our minds, hearts and souls with edifying sentiments that point back to the Lord.  

“The Bible is food for our souls,” Begg said.  

While Begg is an acclaimed writer, he is also an avid reader, recommending believers regularly read resources that supplement their daily Bible readings. One recommendation Begg has for all believers is “Knowing God,” by J. I. Packer.  

Overall, Begg emphasized the call for all believers to focus on understanding the Bible.  

“I encourage people to be personally in God’s Word, to be corporately committed to God’s people and to be energetically taking the good news into God’s world,” Begg said.  

In Begg’s final piece of advice to the college-aged believer, one verse came to mind: 2 Timothy 2:15. It says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” 

To the young Christian who may feel lost on their walk with Christ, hope can be found. Through mentorship, studying the Word of God, prayer and discernment, one can set their sights on that of which the Lord has called them to.  

For more resources and sermons from Begg, visit truthforlife.org. 

White is the Editor in chief for the Liberty Champion.